Closer To Midnight
by Hidden Magic
Summary: Hermione's daughter has found out who her father is and is staying with him. Although the situation changes and Hermione ends up there too.
1. Old Friends, New Friends

"Mum! Wake up! Wake up!"

"Hmph." Hermione let out a whoosh of air as her adorable little five year old girl jumped on her stomach.

"You know what day it is!"

"No, I don't. Tell me Abby?" Hermione asked in a joking tone

"Mummy!" Abbigal Granger giggled.

In Hermione's opinion Abby was the most gorgeous thing in the world. She had piercing blue eyes and brown curly hair. Hermione got alot of comments about how cute Abby was. Abby was of course starting her first day at school and was overjoyed about it.

"Drive me to school and then tonight we're having a party just for me! School! Mummy, school!" Abby replied bouncing a bit on Hermione's stomach.

"Calm down Abby!" Hermione smiled. She remembered that she was just as excited as Abby is on her first day of school.

Regretfully Hermione got up and performed the motherly duties. Get Abby dressed, fed and packed so she was completely prepared. Hermione had a quick shower and got dressed herself while Abby was reading a wizarding children's picture book. Abby was able to read at the age of four. It was an amazing attempt but she missed most of the story out. Now she was able to read many muggle books with ease and likes to look at Hermione's wizarding books and pretends to read them.

"Mum! Hurry up!"

"Coming you little minx!" Hermione scooped Abby up and carried her out to the 4x4. Hermione buckled Abby in and jumped in herself. They took off down the road to Wigram Point Primary School.

"Abbigal Granger?"

"Abby." Hermione muttered in the ear of her child.

"Hmm?"

"Hannah Fisher?"

"What did you want mummy?" Abby hissed to her mother "I'm waiting for my name."

"Your name's already been called sweetie." Hermione smiled at her child's amazed face.

"Grace Zabini?" Hermione froze at the name.

"Yes, Ms Halloper?" Hermione looked for the kid from which the voice issued from. 'Don't be Blaise Zabini's child, please don't his child.' Hermione thought pleadingly. The girl had jet black straight hair and almost as dark eyes. Her skin was pale with a few freckles here and there on her face. 'How many people had the last name Zabini?' There he was looking directly at her with a smile tugging at the edges of his mouth. 'Oh, no.' Hermione thought despairingly. The group of parents started to get up and left their children on the mat and were walking around talking to each other. Hermione put Abby down and walked towards the teacher, Ms Halloper.

"Hi, I'm Hermione Granger." Hermione said extending a hand.

"Hello, Mrs Granger. I'm Jenny Halloper, the teacher here."

"Oh about names, I'm actually Miss Granger."

"Abbigal's your sister?"

"No my daughter."

"Oh. What did you want to talk to me about?" Ms. Halloper said in honeyed tones, clearly disapproving.

"Abbigal prefers to be called Abby. If she's not called that she won't respond." Hermione answered flashing smile.

"I'll take note of that then." was all Ms. Halloper replied before walking off.

"I trust you've been well Hermione." a voice said in her ear as she watched Abby and Grace playing together happily. "Haven't heard much from you at all for five years."

"Yeah well you wouldn't."

"And why's that?"

"Because I turned away from Hogwarts after I was 18."

"Why, Mya?" calling her the nickname he favoured for her in their heads common room.

"Because I've changed."

"You can't say you don't use magic anymore." Blaise asked sounding horrified.

"Of course I use magic! It's the things that went on in the common room."

"That's how bad they were for you?"

"No! It's just that things have come out it that I'd rather hadn't."

"Who's is she?"

"Who?"

"Abby."

"Not yours."

"Phew, one five year old is enough thanks."

"Whose is yours?"

"Elizabeth Rollins's."

"The Pansy followerer?"

"The one and only."

"When did you get her pregnant?"  
"On rebound. But we were in love and it's stayed that way so we're fine with Grace."

"How's," she took a breath "how's Draco?"

"Fine. Running Malfoy Inc. amazingly well considering he didn't want it at all."

"Draco didn't want to be head huncho of Malfoy Inc.? And pigs fly."

"He didn't want anything to do with his father after Voldemort was dead."

"Of course he didn't but he could have been placed at the head of a department in, I don't know, maybe New Zealand?"

"New Zealand?"

"Ok, stupid thought, I am entitled to them though."

"Got to go. Have a meeting in twenty minutes. Talk later okay Mya?"

"Whatever." and turned to face him. Five years had done Blaise some good. He had a great body and she was still at his shoulders, but his face had a maturity that wasn't there five years ago. It made him look like he had experienced the lot.

"Ginny I don't know. I'm fine where I am."

"But you don't have a lot of opportunities do you?"

"Working for him won't necessarily give me those opportunity's though."

Ginny gave her a look that said: You're-being-stupid-get-over-whatever-it-is-now.

"Ok, fine. I'll go to the meeting. But there's no guarantee I'll get the job though."

"Pfft. You're the best. He knows it. You know it. Stop looking for excuses."

They finished their coffee in silence and Ginny handed Hermione her time for the interview.

"You already set it up?"  
"Duh."

Abby always felt proud she was born almost on midnight. Until now. Grace Zabini brought a new light to being a midnight child. She was snooty and acted like she always got her way. She also didn't like the way Grace's dad looked at her mummy. It was like she was lunch. It rather freaked Abby out quite a bit. By the end of her first day at WPPS she found that: Simon was really shy and kept to himself. Meg was like clone and did everything Grace did. Grace always wanted attention and screamed when she didn't have it. Hannah was really nice and outgoing. Greg loved to kick things, anything. Ricky ruined everything because he was a bully. And Sam made his way through the day like a dreamer. All in all Abby liked Hannah the best and hung out with her after lunch, because Grace's voice was getting to annoy her.

"So you want to go down the slide Abby?" Hannah's excited voice came from beside her.

"Yeah!" So they made their way to the top of the slide and slid down 'train style' so many times that they thought they wanted to try the big kids slide. Soon the bell rung which meant that the day was over and their parents would pick them up.

At three thirty Abby was still sitting at the gate.

"Mummy!" Abby exclaimed when she saw the green 4x4 come down the road.

"Oh my gosh! Baby I'm soo sorry! I got caught up in traffic. Work is on the other side of town." Hermione said as she hurried round to help Abby into the truck. 'Until next week hopefully.' Hermione thought to herself.


	2. Lectures and Learning

"You don't want to stay with us anymore?"

"No I do, but I feel that I'm not getting to opportunities I deserve."

"Are you sure about this Miss Granger?"

"No."

"Then we can always keep you on."

"Mr Thompson, I'd love to stay, but back to the issue of opportunities. There's already a head in my department. I realize I won't get that promotion, so I'm afraid I have to go."

"Then clear out your office by the end of the week. Come in here this afternoon to get your paycheck."

"I'll be able to clear out by the end of today."

"So eager to get away from us Miss Granger?" Mr Thompson said with a faint smile. Of course he was pissed to lose their best communications officer, but she was right she wouldn't get the head position.

'This is it. Sign it. Do it Hermione. Mmmm. No opportunities? What was I thinking? Sign it!' Hermione was constantly trying to win the battle in her head. If she signed now her contract would end. If she did it she'd have to apply for the position all over again.

'Just take the damn pen Granger!' She grabbed the pen a little too forcefully off the desk knocking the phone off the desk and then unceremoniously scribbled her signature on the dotted line.

'There. Happy now?' Hermione thought angrily.

"Oh, jeeze! Sorry! I didn't mean to knock your phone off your desk!" she said as she leant over to pick it up and place it back on the faded area where it sits.

"It's fine. It was great working with you. You will always have a position here at 'Stanford Communicators LTD.'. I hope that if it doesn't work out you'll return here." He was saying it sincerely, but Hermione thought that he was getting a bit annoyed about the fact she nearly almost always had Abbigal with her.

"It was great working with you Mr Thompson. But I have no doubts that this will work out."

'Only perhaps 10 or so.' she finished lamely in her head.

"Well see you at 2pm."

"See you." as she turned to close the door behind her she saw Mr Thompson fiddle with the exact positioning of his phone.

"Hey, sweetie! How was school?" Hermione asked, helping Abby buckle her seatbelt up.

"It was so cool! Hannah and me-"

"Hannah and I."

"Hannah and I played in the sandpit for ages," she replied stressing the I. "then I showed her my wand and performed the 'scourgify' spell it was-"

"You did WHAT?" Hermione shrieked a little perplexed. Just a little.

"Showed her my wand and did the spell you always do on me. I think it worked out fine. See, I'm all cleaned up!"

"How did Ms Halloper react?"

"She fainted. I'm don't know a spell to fix that so I put my wand away. She was muttering : 'It's all in my head.' No idea what that means."

"Sweetie, we need to talk. Tonight."

"Why? I thought you said we should never be ashamed about who we are?" Abby asked with little tears in her eyes.

"I know. But some people aren't prepared to admit that magic exists. I'm afraid I'll have to take your wand until you can control yourself." Hermione answered pulling up at their two bedroom flat.

"Mum! No! That's unfair!"

"No it's not. You have to learn to control yourself!"

She then froze. A person was sitting on their porch, waiting for them. She slowed her actions down so she felt she had more control over them. It was all she could do not to run up to him and scratch his eyes out. He had caused her so much pain; she wanted to inflict the same amount on him.

"Hey! How are you Hermione?"

"What are you doing here?"

"This is Abby?" pointing to Abby as she walked up and grabbed hold of her mothers hand.

"Yes."

"Blaise flooed over."

"Oh. What did he have to say?"

"Can I come in?"

"Why?"

"Because it's polite."

"Now you're into being polite, Draco?"

"Wasn't I always?" Keeping his cool as she was gathering all the bad memories she had of this man so she could kick him out with good reason, until she felt a tug on her hand. Abby was looking at her as if she was scared of what her mother would do.

"Alright come in. But this had better be good." She said in a huffed tone as she unlocked the door and stepped in.

Abby was rather scared of the man with the platinum blonde hair and silver eyes. She looked into those eyes once and saw something that she didn't know quite what she saw. Anger. Pain. Stress perhaps? It freaked her as they looked at her and drank their coffee. She was pretending to be reading but her ears were straining to catch their conversation as they were talking in hushed voices, as if they held a grudge so big it could bring down the mountains.

"Look, she's mine as well."

'Who was his?' Abby was wondering, but carried on listening.

"I raised her! It's not fair to move her from where she is on a whim."

"At least let her stay sometimes. I look at her and I see us."

"There is no 'us'."

"Look at her! There clearly was!"

"But not anymore! Don't you agree Draco?"

"If she stays with me for a few days, and we'll see if she likes it, then if she does we'll take it from there."

"Okay, but you have to get her to school by nine."

"Giving your baby away so easily?"

"It's not okay! You don't even know her! What food she likes! What time she goes to bed, if she has a blankie or special toy! This is stupid! Why am I handing her over to you?"

"Because I need to know my child, Mya."

"I know. This is just so hard." She replied her voice thick with emotion.

'Me? He's taking me?' Abby played the important bits of the conversation over in her head and figured unless her mother had another kid, they were talking about her.

'He's my Dad!' she smiled. Her mum must have noticed, because she was looking at her shocked.

"What is it Mya?"

"She knows."

"How can she? She's only five!"

Hermione smiled "But she's mine."

'God she's beautiful.' Draco was elated at the fact he had helped make something so gorgeous.

'Hair: Mya's, Eyes: Mine.' Draco felt he was looking into his own soul as he stared at Abby two days later in the car, driving to the Malfoy Manor. Hermione had suggested driving because Abby would be more comfortable and relaxed. She had also written a list of things Abby has with her, what her favourite foods are. It also suggested putting Abby in the room next to him, incase she got scared. And of course it had emergency numbers. Just incase.

"So, what would you like for dinner tonight?"

"Pasta please." Abby replied politely.

"Okay then."


	3. Nightmare or Prophecy?

There was silence, partly because Draco had no idea what to say and partly because Abby was very shy.

"So, have you got any friends at school?"

"Yep! Hannah. She's really nice. We went on the slide heaps, and on Wednesday I showed her my wand! But Mum took it away after that." Abby finished disgruntled

"What spells can you do?"

"Heaps! Scourgify and Wingardium Leviosa are my favourites though. Mum taught me them ages ago!"

"What did you do to get your wand taken away?"

"Scourgify. It's really weird though, because first Mum says be yourself, then she says I can't be myself because muggles don't understand."

"She's right on both aspects. Look, if you be yourself around people you trust, then you can't go wrong. Don't take out your wand around muggles because they aren't ready to accept magic and you won't get into any more trouble than you're already in."

"Why only be yourself around people you trust?"

"Because otherwise you could be hurt. Badly."

"But won't people misjudge you then?"

"Some people will. But others will get the fact that you have a shield to protect yourself and it's wrong to try and crack it."

"What would you do if I tried to crack your sheild?"

"I'd be okay with it if it was you. But someone I just met who was asking prying questions? I'd get angry."

"How did Mum break yours?"

Draco laughed softly.

"She looked at me, and it seemed she could see into my heart, so I let her."

"Okay then. Here goes." Abby proceeded to stare at Draco with her silver eyes. He knew she had already seen him and looked straight back at her with the same eyes. She gasped.

"You really are my father!" she said in awe.

'Yep this will be a great weekend.' Draco thought happily.

"And then Grace went all snobby as if I insulted her! It was so funny!" Abby laughed during dinner that night. She had a great afternoon just walking around The Malfoy Estate. They talked about so many things. Now they were having Abby's favourite dish, and were chatting like old friends.

"I gather that this is Grace Zabini?"

"You know her?" Abby asked incredulously

"I'm her godfather."

"No way!"

"Yes way."

"I don't like her Dad."

"Why not?"

"Because her dad looks at Mum as if she's lunch."

"That's because we were best friends for our last year of Hogwarts."

"But I thought Harry and Ron were."

"They were her public ones. You see, Blaise and I were in Slytherin and she was in Gryffindor. It was bad news if we hung together all the time."

"That's stupid."

"Why is it stupid?"

"Because you should be able to hang out with anyone."

"You couldn't then."

"Why not?"

"One word: Voldemort."

"Oh! Mum helped kill him! He was evil and twisted."

Draco felt he should change the subject.

"Time for dessert?"

"Yes!"

"Can you tell me the story of you and Mum?" Abby asked as her new found father tucked her into the king sized bed. She felt if she tried, she could get lost in this bed.

"Maybe later."

"Please?" and gave him the puppy-dog eyes.

"No." Draco said more sternly and kissed her on the cheek, then left the room through a door he created beside her bed so she could come and see him if she got scared on the night.

'I found my Dad!' Abby was elated. That was the last thought she had before she fell asleep.

"Zabini Estate." Draco said as he chucked a handful of floo-powder into his fire, then thrust his head forward into the flames.

"What is it Draco?" Blaise asked, not even turning around to face the fire.

"Abby, she's staying with me."

Hearing this Blaise turned around.

"She is? How did Mya give up her baby that easily? When we meet at the school she looked like she wanted to stay there all day with her."

"Yes, she is. It took a lot of time for me to get Mya to agree. Abby is by far the smartest child I have ever come across. She figured she was coming with me almost immediately after we said she was. We weren't obvious I'll tell you that. And she's very opinionated for a five year old. She has everyone sussed out completely."

"Does she like Grace?"

"Absolutely not. She hates her guts."

"Good. That was the one thing I was worried about. Our offspring getting along well." Blaise replied sarcastically.

"What was that?"

"What was what? I didn't hear anything." Blaise replied, concerned. "Is Abby alone?"

"Yes." They both looked at each other.

"Go you stupid idiot! I'll be there as soon as I get Mya."

"Don't get Mya yet. See how serious it is first. Okay?"

Blaise disapparted with a CRACK!

Draco pulled himself out of the fire and sprinted through the door.

He found Abby tossing and turning in her bed. She was moaning and rasping. Blaise burst through the door as Draco was trying to wake Abby up.

"DISSLEEPORTIA!" Blaise bellowed towards Abby, with his wand extended.

Abby jerked awake, and sat up so fast she felt dizzy and lay back down again. She opened her eyes.

"It was scary! Something's happened or is going to happened to Mum!" Abby said trying again to get out of bed, this time it was Draco's hand stopping her.

"Go get her Blaise. What was happening Abby? Tell me everything?"

"Someone was coming through the door and shouted 'Avada Kedavra' at her. She didn't move but her face sort of twisted into a shocked expression. That was when I woke up."

"Are you sure it was that curse and only that curse?"

"Yes! And they didn't even give her time to get or wand! She didn't even know they were there!" Abby started to cry. Draco gathered her up and started to comfort her.

"It's okay. We all get scared sometimes. Shhh."

Draco was sitting in his office with a list in his hand. It was two in the morning, Hermione was sleeping with Abby and Blaise was sitting opposite him. They were trying to figure out all the enemies Hermione had gotten since the demise of Voldemort. There was, of course, all the Death Eaters that weren't in Azkaban, all the people she had angered at work, and perhaps some adults at Abby school. Apart form that Draco didn't know what Hermione had been up to lately. They'd talk to her in the morning.

"So, it's definitely not Mr Thompson?"

"Yes."

"Workmate, Sarah Tutton?"

"No."

"Not Jenny Halloper?"

"She looked peeved, but Abby said she fainted when she saw the wand didn't she?"

"Yes."

"Who's left on the list Draco?"

"Meg Ritcher. Hermione only had her office in the same room; don't know any information on the woman."

"You're positive no Death Eaters would hold a grudge?"

"No, I'm not. But what are the chances?"

"What did Abby say happened again?"

"Someone came in, shouted 'Avada Kedavra' but didn't give Hermione time to get her wand out. She ended up with all the same symptoms as a normal victim of the curse does."

"No information on what she was doing? Watching a movie? Doing work?"

"She apparently quit work for another job, so she's between at the moment."

"Offer her your secretary one!"

"Back to the present subject, Blaise." Draco replied sternly. It was a good idea that he was definitely considering.

"Well then, I guess we have to wait until Abby wakes up.


	4. Murders Happened

Draco looked over the table at Hermione and Abby, worried. They hadn't got much sleep last night. He asked Abby what her mum might have been doing and she said,

"She was walking from the hall to the couch, so I'm guessing she had just tucked me in."

"So you might have been there?"

"Yes. But if I was I wouldn't be for long." Then Hermione come into the conversation.

"Why are we taking this seriously?"

"Hermione, did I ever tell you that, on my mother's side, I have Seers blood?"

"No."

"Well now you know. Has she had any other weird dreams lately?"

"Just ones every month or so."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't know that they were important!"

"Okay Abby, what were they about?"

"All kinds of things. Some past, some future and once, present."

"What one?"

"Muggles, they were screaming and they had the same symptoms as Mum. But I didn't see all of it, but I know that it was happening because I had a really weird feeling in my stomach, like I'd eaten worms for tea. And the next day, I heard Mum and Meg, a lady from Mum's old work, talking about killings."

"Mya, were these the Rihannon's?" Draco asked, turning towards her.

"Yes. Why? Oh no! But why me? They wouldn't be back though would they?"

"I don't know."

--

_Six years ago_

Draco was walking around muggle London, on a job from the Order. He was looking for things. You couldn't call them people anymore, the things they had done. He turned a corner and came across an old boot. He picked it up and felt the familiar wrenching. He cursed. He couldn't let go now. When he had reached his destination he started to look around himself, and cursed again. He knew exactly where he was. Voldemort's hide-out. It was dark and dank, matching the owner amazingly well. Draco walked to the hall and heard some type of party going on down the hall and to the right. He walked until he reached the room where the noise was coming from and got himself geared up for a Death Eater meeting. Got himself dressed up in a long cloak that hit the floor then put the metal mask over his face. And lastly he pulled up the hood to cover his tell-tale hair. Psyched himself up and walked in like he owned the place. The Death Eaters were having some type of party. Voldemort was standing in the middle of the room, his arms waving around to emphasize his words. Draco edged closer.

"It will happen tonight! At 11:20 when they least expect it, we will creep upon Hogwarts and attack the Hufflepuff's Common Room first. They're the weakest and therefore we can use them as hostages for the ransom I want, Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger." He said the last name with more loathing than the others. Muggle-borns sickened him.

With that, Draco left as fast as he came.

_End_

Draco woke up in a cold sweat with a house-elf shaking him awake.

"It's Miss Abby Sir! Miss Abby!"

"What?" Draco leapt out of bed and ran through the door only to find Hermione fruitlessly trying to wake Abby.

"Move Mya, Blaise did this last time." He raised his wand and muttered 'Dissleeportia'. Abby jerked awake as fast as last time and started to cry.

"It's happening now!" she wailed and trying to move, but couldn't because Hermione had smothered her with a hug. Abby calmed down finally, but by that time both Draco and Hermione were in the bed, one on either side of Abby, worried sick. They fell asleep that way.

"Mmm."

'What?' Draco was sure he didn't have any late night visitors over last night.

A hand swung over and hit in the stomach. Hard.

"Hmmph!" He was winded.

"Oh my god!" someone said beside him. He finally opened his eyes at the sound of the voice. Hermione was sitting up, staring at him with a horrified expression on her face. Then comprehension dawned on her.

"Where's Abby?" Draco asked pleasantly

"Good question. I only just woke up. Did we fall asleep like this?"

"Yep."

"Where could she be?"

"Maybe she got Tinka to make breakfast for her."

"Tinka?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow.

"House-elf." Was the answer. Her eyes narrowed at the thought.

"We should get dressed and get breakfast ourselves."

Just then the door banged open and in came running Abby, giggling her head off and yelling:

"You can't catch me! You aren't allowed in here!" and continued to jump on the bed and burrow under the covers.

"Draco do you realize that its 10am? And that your daughter is a very cunning little minx?" Blaise asked leaning on the doorframe.

"10am! Crap! Thanks for the compliment." He replied and got out of bed and ran through the door he had charmed there.

"So, Mya do you like to live like this?"

"Yes, as long as you don't even think about coming in this room, I'll be fine." A smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as she remembered saying those exact words, only to find him practically sprinting into the room after her.

"Now, now Mya. We have kids and I'm married. Can't be thinking like that anymore. About marriages, when are you and Draco tying the knot? For your daughter's benefit of course."

"We haven't thought about it at all." She answered and proceeded to get out of bed. At this movement Blaise's eyes widened. She was wearing a silk nightgown that barely covered her bum, completed with lace around the neckline.

"What? Now I can't wear what I want to bed?" she asked arching her brow for the second time that day.

"It's just I thought Draco would be all over you, if he saw you wearing that."

"We had more important things on our mind."

"What?"

"Abby had a dream that she said was happening at that moment."

"Yes, the Collin's were found murdered in their homes last night at 2am in the morning."

"They would have put up a fight."

"No signs of struggle and no wands in reachable distance. I'd say the attackers plan what they're doing down to the last second, so that the victims are defenseless." Blaise said grimly. This was getting to be a more and more complicated case as the days wore on.


End file.
